Welcome to the 2009 edition of getting to know your family and friends. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.. Then send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you. Some of you may get this several times; that means you have lots of friends. The easiest way to do it is to hit 'forward' so you can change the answers or copy and paste. Have fun and be truthful! I want to see your answers, please!! If you feel up to it, add your own question at the end...learn something new!
1. What is your occupation right now? IS Application Developer/Programmer
2. What color are your socks right now? none
3. What are you listening to right now? "This Christmas Time” by Lonestar (Yes, I’ve had one of those days)
4. What was the last thing that you ate? A Fiber One bar
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Of course!
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? A co-worker about a PC issue he was having
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? LOVE her!
8. How old are you today? 27
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV: baseball
10.What is your favorite drink? Water or Vanilla Chai Lattes (iced or hot)
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Nope!
12. Favorite food? Taco salad
13. What is the last movie you watched? Gran Torino, unless you count bits and pieces of National Lampoon’s Vacation last night
14. Favorite day of the year? Christmas Eve
15. How do you vent anger? work out / talk with friends/family and/or listen to Christmas music (Gundee, we are the same person! Lol)
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? My Easy Bake Oven
17. What is your favorite season? Autumn
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Blueberrries
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? sure
20. Who is the most likely to respond? ??
21. Who is least likely to respond? Gundee – she already did
23. When was the last time you cried? Last night – stress from deciding about the house got me all worked up.
24. What is on the floor of your closet? Dirty laundry in the main part, shoes in my extra closet
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? Not sure who I’m sending to
26. What did you do last night? Pouted about the house for a good 20 minutes, then fell asleep while watching The Holiday, cleaned up the house, watched the Bachelorette Finale, and baked some beer bread
27. What are you most afraid of? Losing loved ones
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? cheese
29. Dog or Cat? Either one, as long as it doesn’t jump on me or shed a ton
30. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
31. How many states have you lived in? 4 – IN, IA, SD, MN
32. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
33. What is your favorite flower? Lilies
34. Any strange fears/phobias? I’m pretty sure I’ll probably end up getting cancer or something equally as awful one day. No reason behind it besides I just think “why wouldn’t I?”
35. How do you want to be remembered? As a woman of God who puts others before herself and gives God the glory.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Looking forward to the WEEKEND! :)
On a whim, we've decided to head down to visit my family in Humboldt this weekend, and I'm getting really excited!! :) Generally, it's hit-and-miss as to who is around when we go down for the weekend, but this weekend not only are Amanda and Michael going to be around, Jason has the entire weekend off as well! Of course, Josh will have to work Saturday morning, but it will be fun to be able to see all the Humboldt family tomorrow night! :) I generally try to make it home about once a month, but its been since Memorial Day that we've been down to visit. We're excited to see little Caleb (who I hear isn't quite so little anymore!), and to check out Jason's new (to him) Ford Escape - a huge improvement from his 1995 Chevy truck that was rusted out and falling apart! I don't even want to know how many miles were on it :)
So I'm excited :) After the last 2 weeks of insanity at work (I love, and am very thankful for, my job, but it has been BUSY!), I'm excited for a relaxing weekend away from home :)
So I'm excited :) After the last 2 weeks of insanity at work (I love, and am very thankful for, my job, but it has been BUSY!), I'm excited for a relaxing weekend away from home :)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Taking a Break
I don't recall the last time I took some time and just took a break from things. When Mark told me he had rescheduled his dentist appointment for this afternoon, I thought, on a whim, that I might try to see if I could schedule my hour massage at Three Stones the same time in Worthington. I called at 11am and left a message. The lady called me back about 5 minutes later and said that someone had cancelled and I could get in at 3:30! So here I am, at 2:22, sitting at Ben Lee's enjoying a yummy iced vanilla chai latte, waiting an hour for my massage. I sat down here about 10 minutes ago thinking, "Okay, so now what do I do?" and for the first time in probably a month, I could honestly say, "Amy - there is nothing you can do right now besides relax!"
I used to think that if I just got to a certain point in my life, things would start getting less busy, but it seems that as soon as things lighten up a bit, they get even more crazy! When I was in college, I seldom had free time, between classes, working and homework, I had little time left for family and friends. After college, it was my first job, and then I met Mark, and then we got engaged, and then married, and then had to adjust to the hectic schedule with commuting, and then my Dad passed away, and then there were a gazillion more weddings...and funerals, and holidays, and bridal showers, and baby showers, and a new job, and the insane running schedule...and inbetween all that, making time for friends and family. I've come to accept that life is, and probably always will be, really busy and crazy most of the time.
However, I have to admit that being busy suits me well. If I have too much of this "free time", I think I'd lose my motivation to do much of anything. I think the danger of being so busy is that at times, I forget to breathe, relax, and allow my body and mind to be refreshed. The thing is - when you get so used to being on auto-drive, it takes more energy to allow yourself to take a break once in a while.
I hadn't realized how stressed out I'd been with things until last week I went to the chiropractor for the first time for a very sore neck. I thought, "Well, I can just go in, he'll crack my back and neck a bit, and then be done...voila - my neck will feel great, and I can get back to work!" But boy was I wrong! It was about an hour, and 80% of the appointment was practically a massage. He said I was very very tense and my back was all in knots. All I could find myself thinking was, "Alright - if I want a back massage, I'll just wait until I get home tonight and have Mark give me one", but I let him keep at it, and by the end, I felt a lot better.
And so I wait...another 30 minutes until my first whole hour massage...and I sip my drink and get caught up on my blogging :)
Moral of this post: Sometimes you need to just take some time for yourself before you become useless and too exhausted to enjoy life.
I used to think that if I just got to a certain point in my life, things would start getting less busy, but it seems that as soon as things lighten up a bit, they get even more crazy! When I was in college, I seldom had free time, between classes, working and homework, I had little time left for family and friends. After college, it was my first job, and then I met Mark, and then we got engaged, and then married, and then had to adjust to the hectic schedule with commuting, and then my Dad passed away, and then there were a gazillion more weddings...and funerals, and holidays, and bridal showers, and baby showers, and a new job, and the insane running schedule...and inbetween all that, making time for friends and family. I've come to accept that life is, and probably always will be, really busy and crazy most of the time.
However, I have to admit that being busy suits me well. If I have too much of this "free time", I think I'd lose my motivation to do much of anything. I think the danger of being so busy is that at times, I forget to breathe, relax, and allow my body and mind to be refreshed. The thing is - when you get so used to being on auto-drive, it takes more energy to allow yourself to take a break once in a while.
I hadn't realized how stressed out I'd been with things until last week I went to the chiropractor for the first time for a very sore neck. I thought, "Well, I can just go in, he'll crack my back and neck a bit, and then be done...voila - my neck will feel great, and I can get back to work!" But boy was I wrong! It was about an hour, and 80% of the appointment was practically a massage. He said I was very very tense and my back was all in knots. All I could find myself thinking was, "Alright - if I want a back massage, I'll just wait until I get home tonight and have Mark give me one", but I let him keep at it, and by the end, I felt a lot better.
And so I wait...another 30 minutes until my first whole hour massage...and I sip my drink and get caught up on my blogging :)
Moral of this post: Sometimes you need to just take some time for yourself before you become useless and too exhausted to enjoy life.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
About Our Wedding Day (Survey)
This is a survey for all you married folk. Fill it out and don't forget to tag other married couples on your friends list.
1) When was your wedding day? September 23, 2006
2) What day of the week was it? Saturday
3) Did you get married in a church? Yes, First Baptist Church in Worthington, MN
4) How many people in your wedding party? 7
5) How many guests were invited to your wedding? 287
6) How long were you together before the engagement? He proposed just over 9 months after we met.
7) How long did you wait to Tie the Knot after the proposal? 9 months and 7 days
8) Did you register for gifts? if so where? Yes. Target, Sears, Walmart
9) Who did you hire as your photographer & Videographer? Photographer was Homestead Studio (would NOT recommend). We did not have a videographer.
10) Did you have a DJ or a band? neither
11) What was your first dance to? didn't have one
12) Did your father walk you down the aisle? Yes
13) What color were the bridesmaid dresses & groomsmen vests? burgundy
14) What type of ceremony did you have? Christian, traditional
15) What were your flowers? roses, cala lillies, leaves
16) What flavor was your cake? vanilla
17) Where did you go for your Bachelorette/Bachelor parties? Sioux Falls, SD
18) What type of wedding gown did you have? a strapless white empire-waist dress with a champagne-colored sash that contained some beading.
19) How was the weather? cool and cloudy all day, raining just after we got in the car to leave the church.
20) Did you have open bar? No.
21) Where did you go on your honeymoon? We took a road trip to Niagara Falls, going up through Michigan, and coming back down around the south side of Lake Erie...making a stop at Cedar Point on the way back.
22) What was your favorite thing about your wedding day? Being done with pictures lol
23) Did anything go wrong? I'm sure, but to be honest with you, I don't even care lol I know the unity candle wouldn't light, the cake didn't really turn out like I wanted, and no one paid any attention to the seat assignments at the family tables.
24) How long have you been married? coming up on 3 years this September!
26.)Did you take a Limo or car to the church and reception? Nope! Who needs a limo when you have the MMC?
27) Did you have a rehearsal dinner? Yep, steaks on the grill and lots of other fixings at the church.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Road Trip Day 5 & 6 - San Diego, CA to Windom, MN
We woke up around 8am and went out for a run around the area, then had some breakfast and showered up. Sarah and I took a trip to Starbucks while Mark got ready, and then we headed out for Coronado Island for a few hours.
We drove down to Silver Strand State Beach for a bit, but it was pretty cold down there, but fun to watch the wind surfers! After the beach, we drove back to downtown and found some lunch at Costa Azul – ate WAY too much again. I also got a bit burned on my arm (another plug for sunscreen!!) while sitting there in the gorgeous open-air seating.
After lunch, we walked down the street to the Hotel Del Cornado and relaxed at a bench by the beach, which was GORGEOUS! It is definitely somewhere I wouldn’t mind spending a whole week there, enjoying the surf and sun :)
We finally decided to head over to Balboa Park around 3:30, only to find out that we should’ve gotten their earlier. Most of the museums were already closed, and if they weren’t, they were at least $10 admission with only a half hour left over to explore, so after walking around in the gardens a bit and people-watching, we called it a day and went home to relax a bit.
Once we finished our napping, Mark and I decided to hit up the pool and hot tub at Sarah’s apartment complex while she went to run a movie back to Redbox and pick up some stuff to finish off our leftovers for supper. She also picked up another couple movies, and we watched ‘Taken’, which was really good! After the movie, some conversation, and then off to bed around midnight. Up the next morning for a walk, breakfast, and then some heavy-duty packing, and then on our way home.
We had a fantastic time on our roadtrip, however we don’t ever plan to drive halfway across the country EVER again :)
We drove down to Silver Strand State Beach for a bit, but it was pretty cold down there, but fun to watch the wind surfers! After the beach, we drove back to downtown and found some lunch at Costa Azul – ate WAY too much again. I also got a bit burned on my arm (another plug for sunscreen!!) while sitting there in the gorgeous open-air seating.
After lunch, we walked down the street to the Hotel Del Cornado and relaxed at a bench by the beach, which was GORGEOUS! It is definitely somewhere I wouldn’t mind spending a whole week there, enjoying the surf and sun :)
We finally decided to head over to Balboa Park around 3:30, only to find out that we should’ve gotten their earlier. Most of the museums were already closed, and if they weren’t, they were at least $10 admission with only a half hour left over to explore, so after walking around in the gardens a bit and people-watching, we called it a day and went home to relax a bit.
Once we finished our napping, Mark and I decided to hit up the pool and hot tub at Sarah’s apartment complex while she went to run a movie back to Redbox and pick up some stuff to finish off our leftovers for supper. She also picked up another couple movies, and we watched ‘Taken’, which was really good! After the movie, some conversation, and then off to bed around midnight. Up the next morning for a walk, breakfast, and then some heavy-duty packing, and then on our way home.
We had a fantastic time on our roadtrip, however we don’t ever plan to drive halfway across the country EVER again :)
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Road Trip Day 4 - Las Vegas, NV to San Diego, CA
We woke up around 6:30am after what we thought was going to be an hour nap before a night out on the town in Vegas. Oh well :) We got up and showered and ready, and then headed to the Flamingo for a breakfast buffet, and then explored for a bit on the town. The Flamingo had an alright buffet, but the $32 price tag was a bit hefty considering the fruit wasn’t overly fresh, and the other food was just alright. Its only saving grace was the crepe station we found towards the end of our breakfast.
After breakfast, we explored the Flamingo gardens and saw a few interesting birds and fish. We then headed back into the casino to make our way back out onto the strip, but on a whim decided to throw a buck in the slot machine. Lucky day – I won $60 on the first pull! We threw a few more bucks at the machines, but decided to just count ourselves lucky with the $60 winnings and call it a day in Vegas :)
We did explore Paris and the Eiffel Tower, but not for long. However we did find that there were some pretty great restaurants there, and plan to try some of them out the next time we’re there.
We headed back to the hotel for a short nap before checking out and getting back on the road. It was a LONG 5 hour drive down to San Diego through pretty busy traffic, but the sights were still pretty breathtaking.
Of course, we couldn’t go the entire trip without being pulled over by the police, and within 2 blocks of Sarah’s apartment, Amy did an illegal u-turn of sorts and got a verbal warning. We finally arrived at Sarah’s around 5pm and relaxed at Sarah’s a bit, and then headed over to Walmart and Von’s to pick up a few supplies for supper and a movie – Inkheart. We went back to Sarah’s and made some spaghetti and then started watching a movie before we realized we were much too tired to really watch a movie, and so we went to bed to get some much-needed rest again. Driving is tiring stuff!
After breakfast, we explored the Flamingo gardens and saw a few interesting birds and fish. We then headed back into the casino to make our way back out onto the strip, but on a whim decided to throw a buck in the slot machine. Lucky day – I won $60 on the first pull! We threw a few more bucks at the machines, but decided to just count ourselves lucky with the $60 winnings and call it a day in Vegas :)
We did explore Paris and the Eiffel Tower, but not for long. However we did find that there were some pretty great restaurants there, and plan to try some of them out the next time we’re there.
We headed back to the hotel for a short nap before checking out and getting back on the road. It was a LONG 5 hour drive down to San Diego through pretty busy traffic, but the sights were still pretty breathtaking.
Of course, we couldn’t go the entire trip without being pulled over by the police, and within 2 blocks of Sarah’s apartment, Amy did an illegal u-turn of sorts and got a verbal warning. We finally arrived at Sarah’s around 5pm and relaxed at Sarah’s a bit, and then headed over to Walmart and Von’s to pick up a few supplies for supper and a movie – Inkheart. We went back to Sarah’s and made some spaghetti and then started watching a movie before we realized we were much too tired to really watch a movie, and so we went to bed to get some much-needed rest again. Driving is tiring stuff!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Road Trip Day 3 - Littleton, CO to Las Vegas, NV
We woke up around 6:30am and decided to take a short walk around the neighborhood. We got back and decided to shower and get packed up again before breakfast. Dad Demeter had gone to Einstein Bagel in the morning to pick up some of their yummy bagels and schmears (kinda like a whipped cream cheese) which were altogether very delicious :) I also had my first cup of Keurig coffee, which, I have to say, was pretty much perfect!
We started out on the road around 8:20am, after saying our final goodbyes, and started out on the 11 hour drive to Vegas. Mark started out the first 3 or so hours to Grand Junction. It was a long leg of the drive, since most all the driving was in the mountains, but as long as it was, it was so breathtaking that it didn’t matter so much. We have plans to come back and do the hang-gliding and braving the rapids sometime in the near future! We’ll see if I’m brave enough to try out my skiing skills on such advanced slopes as Keystone, Vail or Aspen one day, but for now, I think I’ll stick to summer activities :)
We had lunch at Burger King in Grand Junction, CO before heading back on the road, though the mountainous state of Utah. Utah was quite the surprise for us, as we didn’t realize quite how picturesque the mountains were there as well. However, Colorado certainly has Utah beat with the scenery and lush rivers and such. Utah was much more dry and barren – even the welcome center was 40 miles into the state! (Apparently you can’t get lost in Utah those first 40 miles?) lol We did take a few stops at some of the “Scenic Stops” along the way, which made the trip slightly more bearable.
Mark took over the driving shortly after we merged onto the long-awaited I-15 in the middle of Utah, around Beaver. We saw yet more interesting scenery, and FINALLY arrived in Vegas around 7pm. We were pretty exhausted after such a long day of driving, but managed to get dressed up and head out for supper.
We decided to try out Nero’s in Ceasar’s Palace, but after realizing that a small piece of meat was $68 ALONE, we decided to leave and try somewhere else – The Cheesecake Factory. It was a crazy meal there, and quite frankly, the craziest experience I’ve ever had at the place. It was more like a cafeteria than a nice restaurant, and the fire alarm went off for the first 5 minutes. But the food was OH so good and very much worth the insane atmosphere there.
After stopping by a couple stores on the way back to our room, we got back and took what we thought was going to be just a short nap at 9:30, but it turned into a full night’s sleep! So much for a wild night in Vegas! Lol But considering it was following an 11 hour drive, we gave ourselves a break about it :)
We started out on the road around 8:20am, after saying our final goodbyes, and started out on the 11 hour drive to Vegas. Mark started out the first 3 or so hours to Grand Junction. It was a long leg of the drive, since most all the driving was in the mountains, but as long as it was, it was so breathtaking that it didn’t matter so much. We have plans to come back and do the hang-gliding and braving the rapids sometime in the near future! We’ll see if I’m brave enough to try out my skiing skills on such advanced slopes as Keystone, Vail or Aspen one day, but for now, I think I’ll stick to summer activities :)
We had lunch at Burger King in Grand Junction, CO before heading back on the road, though the mountainous state of Utah. Utah was quite the surprise for us, as we didn’t realize quite how picturesque the mountains were there as well. However, Colorado certainly has Utah beat with the scenery and lush rivers and such. Utah was much more dry and barren – even the welcome center was 40 miles into the state! (Apparently you can’t get lost in Utah those first 40 miles?) lol We did take a few stops at some of the “Scenic Stops” along the way, which made the trip slightly more bearable.
Mark took over the driving shortly after we merged onto the long-awaited I-15 in the middle of Utah, around Beaver. We saw yet more interesting scenery, and FINALLY arrived in Vegas around 7pm. We were pretty exhausted after such a long day of driving, but managed to get dressed up and head out for supper.
We decided to try out Nero’s in Ceasar’s Palace, but after realizing that a small piece of meat was $68 ALONE, we decided to leave and try somewhere else – The Cheesecake Factory. It was a crazy meal there, and quite frankly, the craziest experience I’ve ever had at the place. It was more like a cafeteria than a nice restaurant, and the fire alarm went off for the first 5 minutes. But the food was OH so good and very much worth the insane atmosphere there.
After stopping by a couple stores on the way back to our room, we got back and took what we thought was going to be just a short nap at 9:30, but it turned into a full night’s sleep! So much for a wild night in Vegas! Lol But considering it was following an 11 hour drive, we gave ourselves a break about it :)
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